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Original poster

I'm so proud of my brother. He detects and arrests paedophiles. Wasn't sure where to put this, but this is always 'in the news, sadly.'

72 replies

bubble99 · 09/09/2006 22:02

He's a Met Police detective and hs job invoves monitoring chat-rooms etc.

The police moinitor chat rooms and trace men (usually, though not exclusively, some women 'procure') arranging 'meet-ups' with children.
He caouldn't discuss too much of the detail, but I am so proud of the job that he is doing. There can be no entrapment. Paedophiles are given enough rope to hang themselves and then busted when they try to meet up with who they think to be a child.

What I found really distressing is what these people buy, or are found to possess, on their way to meeting 'the child' to enable them to act out their sexual desires.

OP posts:
ChicPea · 10/09/2006 01:04

Very interesting thread. I have heard of a family whose nanny who had recently started a relationship with a convicted peadophile and the police were keeping an eye on him. The police knocked on the family's door when the nanny wasn't there to warn them. They were shocked and gave the nanny one month's notice as although the nanny said she would end the relationship (she has no idea of his record), the family weren't sure she would maintain the split. So they also target care givers too. Sickening.

suzywong · 10/09/2006 02:06

hats off to your brother and his colleagues bubble99

I like unknown's tactics. Ds2 is like a Chinese acrobat already at 3 and we want to develop his natural abilities. Although at this age we would stay throughout the lessons I will make a point of hanging around and introducing myself to and learning the names of all the staff.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 10/09/2006 02:14

Your brother is doing a stirling job bubble.

My brother is a PC, and is in his second year now. I am very proud of him and what he does. He is already somewhat jaded tby some of the things he sees (although he is not involved in child protection etc).

arfishymeau · 10/09/2006 06:22

Yes, a job and a brother to be proud of. It's a shame it comes at such a cost to the individual.

I know each generation says it, but the msn-ing and chatrooms that our children have are so far removed from anything we had as children, I think we really need to educate ourselves about what they are doing and the potential dangers they face. They are so young and trusting.

hub2dee · 10/09/2006 08:15

Wow, what a job, eh... thanks for these comments / tips bubb.

Just had an idea - maybe a thread with specific tips (ie. the ones in here and others) with 'best practice' / suggestions / things to watch for or be aware of etc...

One of the side-effects also of the problems is the impact on 'innocent' men in child-oriented envrionments IYSWIM. I'm normally fairly outgoing, but when I turn up alone with dd at the playground (dw is wokring pt now), and there are just nannies / mums with their toddlers about you do kind of sense the slight 'hesitancy' IYSWIM, and it's not a nice feeling at all (although of course I can completely empathise with the emotion). I suppose the answer is after a few weeks I'll be a recognised face... but until then talking to people can still seem a bit like either a chat-up or the threat of some bloke with ulterior motives... (which doesnt help because I then just stay shtum IYSWIM and feel a little isolated).

Further, as you know, I'm keen on photography - nothing beats great photos of your kid playing etc. - but I am always hyper-hyper-concious of getting the camera out to take a photo of dd at the playground (I'll basically only do it if we're alone or with friends and their kids), and despite having the equipment and skill to be in a position to take loads of great pics of other children / their parents etc. it just feels like it would be asking for trouble IYSWIM - which I think is very sad, and also would be somewhat different if I was a woman.

Anyway, far too heavy for a Sunday morning and dw is threatening to take me to Hampton Court so best exit, LOL...

kittywits · 10/09/2006 08:27

That's such an important job. He must get great satisfaction when convicitons happen but also great frustration when they don't. I imagine also that many aspects of the job must be extraordinarily distressing. How does he cope when he has to look through distressing images and such like?

Rosylily · 10/09/2006 12:57

It might not be a good idea for him to do the job for a long time though. I know my heart would soon break in that job. It is such a shame that we have to be 'dirty' minded and suspicious because of this problem. we aren't able to think the best of people. It is so upsetting to hear about such depravity. And a terrifying thought. I have been explaining the dangers to my teenage son and it feels awful to have to spoil some of his innocence just to keep him safe.

Pan1 · 10/09/2006 13:38

I appreciate posters generally discuss their professional lives, but mine's is directly relevant here. I have mnay years experience of working with men who have committed offences against childern and adult women. I would describe it as a passion. This is not as 'glamorous' as arresting people (used to do that as well), and we are CHRONICALLY underfunded in our work. The public like to see people arrested for these offences, quite rightly, but spend little time in considering what happens to them post-conviction, either in prison, or in the community.
I do take exception to the idea mentioned much earlier that serious offenders are not supervised. The media cases are the exception, not the rule. To UNDERFUND a public service is a political decision. Even the media cases referred to happen, not because of 'inate bad practice', 'poor attitude', it is a resource question.
As a society we proclaim to 'care' for our chidren. Yet in this most crucial of caring arenas, where most damage is being done, we don't resource it properly. I evidence thhis by noting that in my local area, there is a 6 to 9 month waiting list to get on the group work programme that I used to facilitate on.

As for 'fooling the Parole Board'. This is a bit fanciful. PBs have to make decisions on the facts before them. They may entertain their own doubts, but offenders have barristers and other shysters who can, and do instantly appeal decisions on legal argument.

On the poor supervision theme, try to look behind the headline, and wonder why, in these rare cases, it happens.

alexa1 · 10/09/2006 14:57

In the case of Craig sweeney who abducted that 3 year old girl and subjected her to the most horrific sex offences, his probation officers said he was no threat at all and had changed his ways. Once his license had finished that's when he committed the offence against the 3 year old.

Prior to that he was always hanging around childrens areas, such as schools, parks etc. It was in yesturdays daily express. Where were the probation team looking after him then?? No where in sight. They were highly critised in the express yesturday.

My next door neighbour is a police officer and colleagues of his do what bubbles brother has to do and he said he could never do that Job as it's far too distressing, especially as he has 2 little girls. I admire anyone who does that Job, as I couldn't do it for any money in the world, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night.

Pan1 · 10/09/2006 15:03

Sorry Alexia - you are peddling the rubbish that the newspaper wishes you to. Show me where the P.O. said that? It will be the unqualified fevered imaginings of the snide journalist to sensationalise the article that bit more so it looks better. No PO would ever say this of a seriously-offending paedophile.

WideWebWitch · 10/09/2006 15:05

Well, quite, quoted the hysterical Express is rarely going to convince me of anything.

But I'm glad people do this job bubble, it must be very difficult.

Carmenere · 10/09/2006 15:08

I agree with Pan in that I think it is unlikely that the man was deemed to have been entirely rehabilitated by the po involved but I would never say it in such a patronising fashion

theunknownrebelbang · 10/09/2006 15:13

Pan1 - the general public aren't interested in what goes on after offenders are sentenced - most want them locked up and the key thrown away. They also expect that offenders on release to be supervised 24/7, which is impossible.

I had a very similar discussion with my boss a couple of days ago about a lack of resources post-release. (pre/post-conviction, pre/post-sentence and pre-release too I know).

Pan1 · 10/09/2006 15:15

I take it "peddling the rubbish" is patronising?

Will try again.

Ok "regurgitating the mistruths of some journo on the make from a right-wing rag, with their intersts and no-one elses in mind".

trouble is, people read this rubbish, and have it lodged in their minds as approximating the truth, when it is for from it.

alexa1 · 10/09/2006 15:16

Pan1 - I remember his probation officer saying on the news so casually that they thought Sweeney was fully rehabillitated and no threat at all, that's when of course he committed that offence as soon as his license finsished.

Sorry don't have the evidence to back it up as it was on the news months ago. Believe what u want but I am not lying for the sake of it.

Carmenere · 10/09/2006 15:16

Better....still a bit pompous though

Although I totally agree with the sentiment.

Pan1 · 10/09/2006 15:18

Yep, unknown, that is about it, isn't it?

Just get very impassioned both about what I do, and then when ill-informed rubbish gets circulated about it.

Pan1 · 10/09/2006 15:21

Alex - not saying you are lying at all. Sorry if it soundeded that way. I do apoplogise.

Just that I KNOW this will not have been said (that he is no threat at all) and his/her words will have been misinterpreted for the sake of the article.

I do apologise again.

Pan1 · 10/09/2006 15:24

Carmenere - will eat some humble pie as an anti-dote!...and try to not sound so pompous in the future.Thank you

alexa1 · 10/09/2006 15:24

Pan1 - that's ok.

So what exactly does your Job entail? I assume you are a PO?

Carmenere · 10/09/2006 15:25

a bit of passion is important Pan

Pan1 · 10/09/2006 15:34

I've worked with abusers, of both children and adult women for 15 years, in groupwork settings and individually, and have done training events for staff. I act more now as a resource for staff when dealing with difficult cases.

Now a manager of others.

Also the govt. is looking to privatise the public services, and so articles like this prepares the public to see the "sense" in such a move, when there is no sense to it at all , apart from following a political agenda.

theunknownrebelbang · 10/09/2006 15:42

Privatisation would be a nightmare.

ruty · 10/09/2006 21:40

hub2Dee - by dad often comes to the park with me and ds as my mum has dementia and is in care. the other day my dad was taking photos of my ds on the roundabout, and there was another boy on the roundabout too. I was puffing away pushing these two boys around and the boy's father was watching. He then said to me 'that man is taking pictures of my son, who is he?' I said 'It is my dad and he's taking pictures of my son.' the man then looked embarrassed and took his son away - my dad was mortified and upset. On the one hand i can see the guy's point of view - but on the other feel very angry on my dad's behalf because of the paranoia of parents leading them to be downright rude. I've told my dad not to take photos of my son in the playground in future.

ruty · 10/09/2006 21:41

BTW brilliant job your brother does Bubble - it must be gruelling but thank god someone is doing it.